Rules for Thanksgiving OR How to do Thanksgiving the right way!

Oh yes, this is going to be a very tongue in cheek post for sure!! See I believe like most things in life that some things are just too precious or special the way they are and need to be left alone. For me Thanksgiving and Christmas are that way. Yes, at Thanksgiving I believe that it is ONE meal out of  approximately 2373in a year and it needs to be enjoyed just the way it was meant to be...with LOTS of food!! That is just my belief! So shoot me. There are very few things that I find are traditions that stick around forever. Guess what? Thanksgiving is one of them. Gluttony...food coma...more food....more football...yep! That's the stuff of Thanksgiving. ENJOY it! Have a great time and overindulge! Why wouldn't you? I mean unless you're mid contest-prep but other than that, why not? So live it up! Here are Erin's rules for how to enjoy Thanksgiving the way it's supposed to be enjoyed:

1) OVERINDULGE, Now let's say you're someone who doesn't like to overindulge. That's cool too! You can still eat all you want in much smaller portions and have a much smaller food coma to be in, if at all. But if that's you, do it! Just do you, as they say. Eat whatever you fancy and don't stress out about it. After all, the stress just brings on the cortisol and do we really need more of that? NO! So I say overindulge or don't, whatever you wish! The choice is yours. So make it and be proud!!

2) EAT CREAM AND BUTTER. As Nike says, Just do it! It will make you happy and make you feel like a kid again. Oh yes, what would pumpkin pie be without whipped cream? And monkey bread with no butter? SIN!! How about candied yams? You KNOW those would be no good without the butter. They just wouldn't be. And a pie crust made without butter? Puhlease!!! Not happening! Not in this house for sure!!!!


3) LAUGH AND LOVE. When was the last time you really had a good belly aching laugh? Isn't it time you did? Use this day to find something that just makes you laugh till you wanna die! Warning: Make sure you do this before Rule #1 or you'll be VERY sorry! And love yourself, your friends, your family, your wine, your food. Have a LOVE FEST!! Why not? When was the last time you did that?


4) EAT EVERYTHING AND DOUBLE UP ON YOUR CARBS. No, don't hold back or think you don't want it. Can you think of one thing you don't want on that menu? I can't think of one thing. Talk about carb cycling? Now this is a great day for carb cycling. You can't even use it for your high carb day. You have to use it for your EXTREME carb day!! At least that's how I envision it. See with all that I plan on throwing down that day I can only see carbs. Yes, I will eat a slice or two of turkey but for the most part..um, no! Carbs it is!! Cranberry salad, cranberry sauce, candied yams, monkey bread, apple pie, mashed potatoes, stuffing, another cranberry salad,pumpkin pie.Oh boy...I better be careful before I drool on the keyboard!

5) WATCH FOOTBALL. Now you don't even have to care who's playing or winning, if it was a good play or bad play. All that matters is that football is on and you HAVE to watch it. Even if you never watch it, on Thanksgiving you HAVE to watch it. And you'll need it to be on for Rule #6!


6) ENTER A FOOD COMA. If you don't get this right you clearly didn't follow the aforementioned rules. And that, my dear friends, would be a shameful way to spend your Thanksgiving. And since I don't want you to be ashamed when you go back to work and people ask how your Thanksgiving was, you definitely want to put a little extra effort here. Make me proud!


7) WAKE UP AND REPEAT RULE #4. Admittedly, this is a more advanced technique and not everyone can do this one. But real champions and those that have proved themselves in Thanksgivings past will most certainly be able to pull off this feat. Go for it and see how you do. Now this second round you will definitely need to take it down a notch. Your plate should still look full but not crammed as your first plate should have looked.


8) GIVE THANKS. Whatever you did or didn't do, experienced or didn't, give thanks that you're here, alive, well, breathing, with friends and/or family. And be grateful for the beautiful bounty that is put before you. Whatever it may be, each day find something to be grateful for but on Thanksgiving challenge yourself and name at least 10. And if it's a particular person that you're thankful for, contact them and let them know. You can do that the old fashioned way (postal mail), slightly old fashioned way (telephone call), not so old fashioned way (e-mail), or any new way (text, IM, tweet, blog, Facebook). But let that particular person know that you are grateful for them and let them know exactly why. It will make your Thanksgiving even better!

Yep, that about sums it up. Erin's Rules for Thanksgiving! Now get out there and get your workout on because come Thursday you are REALLY going to need it! Especially if you play by MY rules!!!!!